Myoglobin blooming agent containing shrink films, packages and methods for packaging

A food package comprising:

• a myoglobin-containing food product having a water content of at least 5 wt. %;
• and
• a container comprising a heat shrinkable, oxygen barrier film having a food contact layer comprising a nitrogen or sulfur containing myoglobin blooming agent;
• wherein the container encloses the food product in a reduced oxygen environment and at least a portion of the film food contact surface is in contact with at least a portion of a surface of the myoglobin-containing food product.

A food package comprising:

• a myoglobin-containing food product having a water content of at least 5 wt. %;
• and
• a container comprising a heat shrinkable, oxygen barrier thermoplastic film having a polymeric food contact layer and a tray;
• wherein the container encloses the food product in a reduced oxygen environment;
• and the food product is maintained in a modified atmosphere comprising a nitrogen or sulfur containing gaseous myoglobin blooming agent, or mixtures thereof.

A method of packaging a myoglobin-containing food product comprising the steps of:

• providing a food product comprising myoglobin having at least 5 wt. % water;
• providing a heat shrinkable packaging film having an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 310 cm3/m2/24 hours measured at 0% relative humidity and 23° C. and having a total free shrink of at least 10% at 90° C.;
• contacting the food product with a food contact surface of the packaging film wherein between about 0.001 mg/in2 and about 0.500 mg/in2 of a myoglobin blooming agent is present at the food contact surface;
• and
• hermetically sealing the food product within the film in a packaging environment having a reduced gaseous oxygen partial pressure;
• and
• causing the film to shrink.

A method of manufacturing a vacuum package of fresh meat comprising:

• a) supplying a container comprising a heat shrinkable film having a layer comprising a myoglobin blooming agent and wherein the film is substantially impermeable to oxygen;
• b) placing a retail cut of fresh meat within the container;
• c) removing the atmosphere within the container;
• d) causing transparent portion of the film to make direct contact with at least a portion of the meat surface;
• e) hermetically sealing the container to enclose the fresh meat and prevent contact of oxygen from outside the container therewith;
• f) shrinking the film to provide a compact package having a sufficiently reduced internal oxygen level to promote a meat surface favoring deoxymyoglobin or metmyoglobin and the corresponding purple and brown colorations associated therewith over formation of oxymyoglobin;
• and
• g) storing the package under refrigeration conditions for a sufficient time to permit the reducing activity of the enclosed meat to favor nitroxymyoglobin formation on the meat surface to an extent whereby a corresponding red color associated therewith is formed to produce a visibly red meat surface.